Leadership that tastes like Hartwall – The Crafting Leaders Program Is Shaping the Future of Line Management
At Hartwall, line management has long been at a high standard — employee survey scores have been excellent, and team sizes remain moderate, enabling leaders to be truly present for their people.Yet, the company aspired to go further: to build a shared leadership culture that consistently reflects Hartwall’s strategy, leadership competencies, and ways of working across the organization.
“We needed to ensure that leadership at Hartwall is consistent and aligned with who we are as a company — that every leader knows what’s expected of them, and that leadership quality isn’t left to chance,”explains Hanna Laavainen, Senior HR Partner at Hartwall.
This ambition led to the creation of Crafting Leaders — a comprehensive leadership development program co-designed with Netco Advisors Oy.
A Shared Direction – A Program Anchored in Strategy and Values
At the heart of the training program lies Hartwall’s strategy and its three guiding principles: “Our glass is always half full”,
“We thirst for success – together”, and “Our drinks and our actions are good”. These principles formed the foundation for a development journey focused on equipping leaders with practical skills — not just theoretical models.
“We began by identifying the capabilities our future leaders will need at Hartwall.We reflected these against our values, our success competencies, and leadership behaviors.From there, we co-created the program with Netco”, explains Hanna Laavainen.
The program was launched with a survey targeted at line managers and their teams to map the current state of leadership. This baseline will later enable the measurement of impact as the program progresses.The goal is to develop leadership that not only manages — but inspires, nurtures, and builds community.
Practical Learning – Shared Insights and Ongoing Support
Crafting Leaders is designed as a nine-month development journey, offering every participant the opportunity to pause, reflect, and grow. The program blends in-person training, independent assignments, peer coaching in triads, and one-on-one discussions with each participant’s own manager.Learning doesn’t stay in the classroom — it continues in everyday leadership practice.
“Netco has been an outstanding partner. Sini Lindholm and Hanna Poskiparta have created a trusting atmosphere where people feel safe to open up — and where constructive challenge is welcome. As organizational psychologists, they are highly skilled in guiding meaningful conversations and personal insights”, says Hanna Laavainen.
Each training module concludes with a feedback dialogue, where Netco and HR come together to review how well the content met the participants' needs — and how it can be refined even further.
Participant Experience: “A Program That Truly Left a Mark”
One of the program’s first participants, Heikki Savolainen, Director of Category Marketing, describes the training as an exceptional experience.According to him, the nearly year-long journey provided the space to absorb learnings, apply them in practice, and share insights with peers. Savolainen says the program helped him validate his intuitive leadership methods and gain new understanding of his own strengths and areas for growth.He highlights the value of peer learning and the facilitators’ practical and grounded approach.
“All in all, the program was exceptionally well-designed.The facilitators were highly skilled and experienced, and the program offered both fresh perspectives and space for personal growth”, Savolainen concludes.
A Culture That Goes Beyond a Campaign
Crafting Leaders is not a one-off program. Hartwall’s ambition is for every leader in the organization to participate, creating a shared leadership language and culture across the company. To support this, Hartwall has also launched the Crafting Leaders Lounge — a dedicated leadership network and alumni forum where leaders exchange experiences and keep the spark of learning alive.
“This isn’t a project — it’s continuous development. Leadership is something we do every day. And through this program, we ensure it’s done well, together, and in a way that reflects Hartwall’s values”, Laavainen sums up.
Netco – A Strategic DevelopmentPartner
Netco serves as Hartwall’s strategic development partner in the Crafting Leaders program. Their expert yet human-centered approach has been a key enabler of success.
The Netco team is incredibly professional. They listen, they understand, and they design development experiences that truly support our goals.
Hanna Laavainen, Senior HR Partner, Hartwall
Measuring Impact: From Insight to Everyday Change
The impact of the Crafting Leaders program was monitored systematically through baseline and follow-up assessments, capturing both leader and team perspectives. On a 1–5 scale, the program showed significant improvements across all areas, with average scores increasing by 0.4–0.5 points.
According to self-assessments by leaders, the greatest areas of development were:
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Regular coaching-style conversations with team members (+0.7)
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Taking care of one’s own energy and resilience (+0.6)
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Proactively seeking feedback for personal development (+0.5)
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More broadly, leaders now report a clearer understanding of what kind of leadership is expected at Hartwall, with an average score of 4.5.
From the team members’ perspective, the most visible improvements in leadership included:
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Coaching conversations, feedback, and support for growth and skill development (+0.5)
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Improved clarity of strategic direction, openness to feedback, and support for team success (+0.4)
Open feedback from team members described their leaders as more present, structured, and empathetic.
Many leaders, in turn, shared that they had gained clarity in their leadership identity and the confidence to address even difficult issues. The program didn’t just build skills — it strengthened the core of leadership.
Ultimately, the program’s impact goes far beyond numbers. It is reflected in better conversations, clearer goals, and more engaged teams — in everyday actions that visibly embody Hartwall’s values.